Blind Sunset
by NilaSagol
Summary: <html><head></head>Johnny Cade is always known as the puppy dog of the group. One day, a new neighbor moves onto his street. She is deemed as a half Soc and half Greaser which causes much controversy with both sides. Johnny loves her. Can his love survive? JohhnyxOC</html>
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1- "Puppy Dog Johnny"**

Dishes shattered. My folks were about to fight, I already knew it was going to happen. It would be either my dad would strike my mom too hard or my dad would be looking for me. This was everyday even on Christmas, you'd think think my parents would stop then but no, it wasn't going to be like that. It would start all over again, often time someone got hurt too many times and when the wounds would heal, more wounds would appear again.

We were expecting neighbors. The sign in front of the house was gone next to us, I knew it would be a new person. I sat outside my house since my father drank too much and now my mom was going to get beat up and probably me if I did stay in the house. I sometimes wished why I was here, both of them don't care. I really don't understand the two of them.

Ponyboy stopped and noticed the sign was gone. "Johnny...Getting new neighbors? I hope they don't rank, it wouldn't be nice to have bad neighbors."

I nodded. "It's a girl and her family, they should be coming soon."

Ponyboy smiled. "Oh, a broad is moving in? It should be nice for you Johnny."

I smiled a little but wait until they saw my parents. "Ponyboy..."

Ponyboy answered me. "Yes, Johnny?"

I looked at the other houses. "You think my parents are going to drive them away?"

Ponyboy wasn't sure. "Maybe not, I mean your folks fight an awful lot Johnny but who knows may this broad has it rough too like you do."

I still wasn't sure. "Oh well, we'll just have to see."

A car pulled up to the empty house. I quickly got up, nothing really happens where I live so it was rare time for my street. The girl was roughly taken out of the car by her mother as her father just laughed. Boy was Ponyboy right about this broad, she had rough and I could tell how her parents were handling her. She looked so sad from where I could see her. Very sad, almost like many things were happening too much at once.

"Janalise!" her mother screamed. "Go introduce yourself to our neighbors! Quit acting shy and do it!"

"Yes, mother." Janalise walked very stiffly towards me. She looked at me but couldn't talk to me. "Hi. I'm Janalise Rubenton, it's nice to meet you."

I offered my hand. "I'm Johnny Cade, I live next door to you."

Ponyboy offered his hand. "Ponyboy Curtis."

Janalise smiled. "It's nice to meet you all, very nice to meet you all."

Mr. Rubenton watched very carefully over Janalise's interaction with the boys. "If any of you lay on my daughter..I swear in the news, you two will be humiliated and shamed out of this town!"

Janalise turned back to her father. "Father! Why are you being so mean? You know I don't like when you say that."

Mr. Rubenton turned sharply away as I looked straight at the guy. He was not a tuff guy at all, it seemed like if we did something wrong the cops would be all over the place. Something told me that this was going to be a hard trasition for Janalise because she was a Soc living in Greaser territory. I don't know what to call that, in school she would be given a hard time for sure. She didn't choose to live here, her parents did and now she had to live with the fact that she was in enemy territory.

It was East side verses West side, Janalise would have a very hard time with the Socs.

Janalise was pretty for broad. She had straight, strawberry blonde hair. Her eyes, a sad green. Her hair wasn't too long or too short and she had red bows in her hair. She was pretty.

"How old are you." I asked. "I'm sixteen."

She answered. "Fifteen."

"So, your folks rough like mine?" I looked into Janalise's eyes. "Looks like it."

"Alcohol, abuse, and marital issues." Janalise replied. "Same with yours?"

"Same with mine." I replied. "I guess we have something in common."

Janalise turned to Ponyboy. "You too, Ponyboy? Issues at home too?"

Ponyboy shook his head. "Mom and dad died in a car crash. It's just me, my older brother Darry, and my other brother Sodapop."

Janalise understood and looked around. "So, is this the rougher side of town?"

Ponyboy nodded. "Yep, this is the east side of town. Greasers mostly live here, it's for people who are having it hard in life."

Janalise knew it. "We've always lived in rough neighborhoods even though we have money...Kind of weird but if my parents want to live there then we do."

"The west side is for richer people called Socs." Ponyboy continued. "We don't get along."

Janalise understood very well of the situation. "I used to live in New York, same thing happened in a town where I lived but I guess it'll be different since I'm living with the enemy."

Ponyboy and I nodded our heads. It was true and we've never had this happen before and it looked like the Socs and the Greasers would have to look at this problem more closely. I didn't know what would happen to Janalise but I felt like it was my duty to protect her.

Things would probably look rank from now on.

Ponyboy smiled. "We will treat you nice though, don't worry too much about it."

Janalise nodded. "I know people will get upset, I'm not getting my hopes up with anything."

I looked at Janalise and realized that the broad must've taken more abuses than I probably have because she was tough. I could tell she was, just by how she stood and how her face changed when she knew about the issues with the Socs and the Greasers. She knew there would be problems and it didn't make her cringe at all.

She had a delicate side to her too, I would find it out later in many ways.

Ponyboy realized he had to do something. "I have to help Sodapop with the house today! I'll see you later Johnny! Nice meeting you, Janalise!"

Ponyboy took off for home. I wished Ponyboy didn't leave me because now I had Janalise to worry about and I wasn't too good with talking to girls that much. It was hard for me than it was for Dally, Dally could talk to any girl no problem but sometimes he went too far about it. It caused problems for Dally and it was because he ran tough anyway. I wished I was more like him but then I didn't because Dally couldn't stay away from jail.

Dally came out of nowhere, I stiffened up. "Hey, Johnny..." Dally's eyes went the opposite direction to Janalise. "What's that...Soc doing on our turf? She lives next to you?"

"Yeah...She moved into the house next to mine." Dally wasn't happy it at all. "Dally, let's not make a fuss about this, I know this is a different situation and both sides might not like it."

Dally took out a cancerstick. "You've got the right they won't." Dally shook his head. "What's the broad's name, Johnny?"

"Janalise..." I replied. "She's from New York."

Dally laughed. "Rough part of it, Janalise?"

Janalise nodded her head. "Yes."

Dally was amazed. "She looks tough, Johnnycakes. It seems she's been through a lot too like we have."

I looked at Dally. "You won't rough her up will you? Dally, this isn't her fault."

Dally sighed as he smoked. "It's not me, it's the Socs, Johnny. You know they won't be liking this but I admit, she is somewhat of a greaser too. You fight, Janalise?"

Janalise nodded. "I fight, I know for a girl that's odd but I do. Won some fights, lost some fights."

Dally was impressed. "I like her, Johnny. I don't care what the Socs say about her, she isn't going to be like them. This will be totally different. Janalise, put me as one of your protectors."

Janalise smiled. I guess she was getting treated nicely and it made her feel good about being on the east side of town. She sure was tough, I've never seen a girl quite like that before, it was hard to not be attracted to her some. I don't think I have a chance anyway, girls and I just aren't good together anyways.

Mr. Rubenton grabbed Janalise by the arm. "What did I tell you about the boys? Another one? You must've done something wrong now to have this third one come up to you! Men are just going to use you!"

Janalise gave a frightened look towards me. "Bye Johnny, I have to go. Bye Dally."

Dally looked at me, he threw down his cancerstick. "So, her old man is the same as ours, huh Johnny? It looks like he's a little worse though." Dally lit up another cancerstick. "I think Janalise is being used by her father."

My eyes widened. "You don't mean-"

Dally nodded his head. His icy blue eyes were serious."Johnny, I've seen this before with a girl I knew in New York. Her name was Alisha, she had the same look when her father came around. It was just..sad, you know?"

My stomcach flipped. I couldn't believe it, Janalise was suffering not just physical abuse like I did but sexual abuse. This was not well known to us, we just knew physical abuse where the old man would just hit on us a little too hard. It hurt just to know there was more to Janalise, we would be linked in many ways later.

Dally nodded. "Johnny, it's not just hitting up too hard with her. She's getting it wrong from her father." Dally paused and shook his head. "That's just rank maybe even terrible."

I felt very bad. "Aw, Dally. Isn't there anything we can do for, Janalise?"

Dally shook his head. "Father's a monster, Johnny. It would be hard to nail him."

I felt so powerless and yet I wanted to help. "I've never seen it so bad for someone before."

Dally smoked some more. "Oh, it can be a lot worse. A lot of Greasers have it tough at home but I never thought I'd see this again."

I was upset that something couldn't be done. "Well, I don't think we should just sit here."

Dally nodded too but began wandering in a different direction. "See you around, Johnny." Dally looked back seriously. "If I was you, I would protect that broad. She is going to need you."

I looked out at the other houses. I realized that my life was now important, I had to protect someone and help them since we were in the same situation with Janalise's being worse than mine. Ponyboy was right, I did meet someone who was the same and I guess we had to be friends and look out for each other. Janalise was going to need a lot of help from people, Socs would give her the harder time than we would.

I just kept thinkng that a woman should never have to go through that so young. I was unaware that it happens but knew that it was possible. I just kept remembering Janalise's sad green eyes, they were just so sad and scared of the evil thing that was going to happen. I could tell that her father was going to have her way with her, I just knew.

My folks began fighting again and soon I heard Janalise's start fighting. I knew within that two hours that Janalise's father had his way but he cut it short. When I looked at world sometime, I wondered why these evil things happened and why people had to suffer so much just to keep living.

Janalise snuck out of her house as I saw her. "You know don't you?" She looked down in shame. "My father does wrong me, my mother is in denial it happens."

"Janalise, you shouldn't have to deal with that." My sad brown eyes looked at her. "You're too young to be doing that stuff and he's forcing you. That's just rank."

Janalise knew it but she was powerless. "I know that Johnny. I want to run away sometimes. I want to tell you everything but I fear you won't like me anymore."

I put my hand on her shoulder. "Anyone going through the same thing as me is a friend."

I know this is weird and all but I think Janalise and I have a connection and I guess we were close but I was afraid to get too close to her. It was too late now because she looked at me and had so much hope in her eyes. She was another me I guess, she had the same puppy dog look like I did half the time. I know Dally would say that the next time he saw me and surely when Ponyboy and the rest found out, they'd say the same.

Janalise's eyes never left mine. "Johnny, I better go. I don't want to get punished again."

I nodded. "I don't blame you, go on home before your father hurts you again."

Janalise looked back as she walked into her house and the door closed. My folks were still fighting and so were her's. This is the lives we lived everyday knowing that at home, we're not good enough and only when our parents were drunk enough were we any value to them.

I still looked out the sunset. I wondered if there was a place that there wasn't this hell.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2- "Truth"**

Ponyboy and I walked to school. He noticed that Janalise already left early and probably was way ahead of us. She liked to be at school early when she could.

"So, Johnny. How's Janalise?" Ponyboy asked. "She's been visiting you?"

I nodded. "Ok. Sometimes not ok."

Ponyboy realized what the situation was. "Oh yeah, Dally told me and I've never seen him so down about something like that. It's must be real rank to deal up with that."

I still felt so bad. "Ponyboy...I feel so bad about it, I want to do something."

Ponyboy nodded. "We should but knowing her dad, he wouldn't be easy to get at."

I nodded again. "I guess that's not all I'm worried about. It's Janalise's first day, talk already started about the half Soc and half Greaser thing already."

Ponyboy stopped stiff. "They know about that? Well, it's not like no can't see that."

I was still worried. "Ponyboy, they are going to be rough on Janalise."

Ponyboy was worried too but I knew there was not much we could do. The Socs would have their turn but most Greasers were protecting Janalise and some refused since it would start arguments. I still protected her because I remember what Dally said: _"Johnny, if I was you, I would keep an eye on that broad and protect her."_

_OOO_

As always, there was about a half an hour break session. The Socs were wondering around and I saw Janalise wondering around in the crowd. I was scared but I knew the situation couldn't be helped, it was what it was. Ponyboy and I were alert because we knew the Socs didn't care if it was someone's first day or not, they were going to break in whoever was not from this town in.

I looked in Janalise's direction as she became trapped by a group of Socs. The questions started pouring out of them all. Dally warned me there would be a rumble about this because a Soc shouldn't be on our turf and that meant the Socs had more turf than we did with Janalise advocating she was both. How could she just be one? It was never going to work and now that this problem was here, both sides didn't know how to even it out.

"Listen, I know I'm a Soc but I live on Greaser turf. What have you not had that happen?" Janalise was very sassy in her answer. "Well, looks like everyone is just going to have to deal."

"That's not how it works." One of them replied. "You're either one or the other."

"It's not going to happen!" Janalise was angry now. "So, I'm friends with Greasers! I was always the odd one in school anyway, I never fit in!"

"Well, your parents did a stupid thing by moving there." Another replied. "Well, because of you and the problems that have come up, a rumble will have to happen."

"Rumble?" Janalise didn't know the slang we used so she questioned what a rumble was. "Like a bribe?"

"No, sweetheart. A fight between both sides. We do it all the time but never did we have a person start one."

Janalise thought it was dumb. "A fight? Just because I'm not in the right area? How stupid!"

Everyone was shocked to hear her answer. Even I was, this was Socs we were talking about. They really didn't like her attitude towards the rumble and she'd be the first girl to ever defy a Soc and in public too. They weren't going to be on good terms with her anymore.

Especially the girls.

Cherry Valance was on of the Socs and it was her boyfriend that Janalise insulted. "What gives you the right to come off as rude as you did? This is my boyfriend we're talking about!"

Janalise wasn't afraid. "Look, I don't think a rumble should have to take place. I'm giving my honest opinion. I think it should be canceled."

Cherry wasn't happy about this. "The boys rumble, not us. Usually if a rumble is on, it is. We don't cancel."

Janalise was more defiant. "Then cancel it! I swear how did the whole school just split into two? What about those who belong to no group?"

Cherry Valance pointed at the divide of people in her direction. "Everyone here is either a Soc or a Greaser. There is no middle like you. Pick a damn side!"

There was an uproar as everyone started talking and having disagreements. This was a bigger problem than we all thought. Everyone was heated over something that couldn't be helped. It was really stupid to be hacking off and not knowing our place. Ponyboy and me thought it was time to end this whole thing.

We only had fifteen minutes left of the break session. Everyone went to their sides as Janalise stood there in the middle with looks and whispers. I could tell she was angry but also upset about what just happened. Ponyboy and I walked up to her to see if she was ok. She was just staring straight.

"Janalise! Are you ok?" Ponyboy asked. "Man, I didn't know they would be that hard on you."

Janalise didn't look back. "No, it's ok Ponyboy. I was warned about all this."

I still didn't buy that. "Janalise, I know we said that the town is divided but they went too far today with all this."

Janalise turned around. "The boys fight to solve problems between both sides?"

Ponyboy nodded. "Yeah. That's how we've been doing for years. Rumbles solve our problems."

I nodded. "It all started when a Soc swiped from a Greaser and then a Greaser swiped from a Soc. There was a problem on how to solve it, so it was thought of fair to rumble."

Ponyboy was upset about what happen and you could see it in his eyes. "I'm sorry, Janalise. We didn't want this happening on the first day of school but it did."

Janalise shrugged. "Well, Nothing we can do about it. I can protest but it won't do any good."

Janalise walked to class and just ignored the Socs. There was really nothing she could do and the rumble was still on for tonight. It was the first time somebody fought to end a rumble. This was a new way of looking at why we even had them, all we did was draw blood and hurt each other. Then we did it again the next time a problem couldn't be solved or there was another issue among the sides.

I turned to Ponyboy. "Ponyboy, I think the rumble should've been canceled."

Ponyboy agreed. "Me too, I mean why fight over something like this? They were just too tough on her."

Ponyboy and I were realizing why we fought so much in rumbles. It never really came on us that sometimes we did it for unfair reasons or reasons that made no sense to us. One time, a Soc made a Greaser pay up for his crime and the Greaser did time he didn't need to do and still hasn't been released. The rumble for that lasted two days and people were in the hospital.

Jail wasn't fun and Dally was always going but where this Greaser went was real Jail. It was a friend of Sodapop's and when Sodapop went to visit, the guy was a real wreck. He would cry to come home.

Ponyboy just looked at the people. "Johnny, don't you think..." Ponyboy stopped.

My eyes brightened up. "Think what? That we've been at this for too long?"

"Maybe." Ponyboy didn't want to say anymore. "I would say more but everyone is here and would think it isn't right or crazy."

I agreed but I still agreed with Ponyboy. "Ponyboy, you aren't the only one. I think it somtimes too."

Ponyboy and I walked away from the crowds and sat outside. "Johnny, are all the other towns sepreated?"

"No. They live together."

"Why can't it be like that for us?" Ponyboy sighed and looked at the afternoon scenery. "Jonas isn't getting out for another three years due to a lie. We have gone too far."

I sat back. "Ponyboy, you're right. Things aren't right."

Ponyboy just realized that the truth hit him and it hit me. We were fighting for all the wrong reasons and we kept putting up the price to pay for every big problem we had. Eventually, someone would lose their life and I didn't like admitting to the guys sometimes but it was my fear that someone would die. Dally looked like he would be next since he did things so dangerously and never thought for the consquences like Ponyboy and I did.

It was fun for them to rumble but for me and Ponyboy we didn't view it the same.

I looked at Ponyboy. "We're not going to the rumble tonight."

Ponyboy agreed but then he was shocked. "Johnny, we have to. We can't just not show up, this is a rumble!"

I refused to go. "No, Ponyboy. I'm not fighting again, we fight too much and I always worry about who will drop dead in there."

Ponyboy realized the situation again. "Drop dead? I know that happens but it has happened yet."

I nodded. "Either someone gets stabbed too hard or the heater is brought in to finish the job."

I know everything I'm saying is different because I don't think we should have fight everytime something goes wrong. I witnessed enough fighting at home all the time, a lot of us did. Why were we doing the one thing we hated seeing the most? I didn't understand what was going on with that.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3- "Close"**

Janalise and I spent a lot of time together and we often sat on my porch and talked about things. My parents didn't care and Janalise's parents were on vacation for three weeks maybe longer. They didn't really say much and left a note. Janalise could at least relax from the abuse for now.

My mom would see Janalise but paid no mind really.

"Hey, mom. Janalise will be staying awhile." I replied. "Is that alright?"

"It's fine, Johnny." she replied. "I'm going on out anyway."

I looked at Janalise. "My parents don't really care if you're here. I don't really matter to them either."

"Well, my father would have a problem with you." Janalise replied.

We both laughed until we saw a tougher greaser by the name Joseppi hacked off at a Soc. There was some major beef between the two. Joseppi wasn't having it and he was one of the toughest greasers we had. Full blooded Italian too.

"Listen here, Soc." Joseppi replied. "I don't owe you any money for anything, you were paid back double."

"I want more money, you greaser!" the Soc demanded. "More!"

Joseppi went into his house and came with some china. "Here, you'll get some if you pawn this."

The Soc accepted it as he continued to stand in the street.

"Well, get out of here! Before you get rolled!" Joseppi warned. "I wouldn't mind having to do it myself."

The Soc walked away until he came up to us. "Well, well, well...If it isn't the Janalise girl who insulted me a couple weeks ago."

"Bob, go on home." I replied. "Janalise meant nothing by it. "She got hacked off because the Socs aren't making it easy for her."

"It doesn't matter, Johnny." Bob crossed his arms. "She is both and you knew that would be a problem from the start."

I couldn't argue with that until Bob saw Janalise's hand in mine. Then things got worse. Bob stood back then came closer to see that it was the truth. I guess Janalise decided she wanted me as her boyfriend.

"Oh no...This broad wants to be your girlfriend, Johnny?"Bob stood back further. "Johnny...You need to rethink this. There will be big time problems if you both decide to date. I'm just telling you."

"Right, go tell everyone!" Janalise glared. "That's what you're going to do, I know it."

"Well, Janalise can't help how she feels." I replied. 'What's wrong with us, dating?"

"Socs don't date Greasers, Greasers don't date damn Socs!" Bob left and I could tell he was riled up now.

Janalise felt extremely bad. "I'm sorry, Johnny! I was going to tell you but...I was afraid of what was going to happen."

I put my hands on our shoulder. "No...It's ok, Janalise. You can't help how you feel."

Joseppi came over. "Hey, Johnny. Are you and Janalise, ok? I saw what happened."

"Yeah, we're good. Thanks, Joseppi." I replied.

"I knew I should've rolled him." Joseppi became sad. "Oh maron! Mama is going to kill me for bartering off her china!

I shook my head. "Well, that would cause another rumble."

"Yeah...Getting tired of those, Johnny." Joseppi confessed. "We had five this week. I'm too tired to do another rumble again."

Joseppi mom pulled into the driveway. Joseppi felt so much guilt and he knew his mother would notice something was missing. In about two minutes she did.

_"Joseppi!" she called. "Where is my china?"_

"I have to go, Johnny. I'm about to get hacked off about this." Joseppi ran to his house as he explained what happened to the china.

_"Maronnna mia! Joseppi why would you do that?"_ she exclaimed._ "Don't tell me you came up short with money again!"_

_"Yes, mama. I did come up short again."_ Joseppi replied. _"I thought it was a fair trade."_

The door to Joseppi's house closed as Joseppi argued with his mother. This happened a lot of the time with us Greasers. If we came up short of the money, we redeemed it by giving up a possession of ours. That was how it worked, it was never a Soc that owed money when a couple of them did. I always thought we got the worse end of everything everytime.

I put my attention back to Janalise. "Um...So, Janalise? You want me to be your boyfriend. Aw, there are guys better than I am."

"I don't want them, Johnny." Janalise replied. "I like you better."

"Really?" I replied. "Janalise, I told you. I'm not too good with girls. I don't..."

"Johnny." Janalise moved closer and placed her head on my shoulder. I couldn't help it anymore. Janalise really wanted me as a boyfriend. Her feelings were strong but this would cause a rumble as soon as the Socs knew about it.

"Janalise. This isn't considered tuff." I explained. "What we're doing is way out of line to everyone."

"Why does it matter what anyone thinks, Johnny?" Janalise looked at me. "Isn't love supposed to be left out of this?"

It did really hit me. Why should it matter what both sides thought? Maybe we would settle our differences once and for all if this happened. Then again, it still wouldn't look good to both sides eventhough Janalise had a lot of support from the Greasers. It was still a risky thing to do.

I could still hear Dally. _"Johnny, you have to protect that broad."_

Ponyboy was walking up the street and decided to stop over. Joseppi left his house and made sure to be over as well. It was nice being a Greaser, you always had family looking out for you. Most of the time, our yards were open to all the Greasers in town.

"Hey, Johnny." Ponyboy came over to us. "What's been happening?"

"Nohthing much. Same as yesterday." I replied. "Bob was around earlier."

"Cherry Valance's boyfriend?" Ponyboy looked at Janalise. "Did he rough Janalise?"

"Yeah. He roughed with Joseppi too." I replied. "Ponyboy, Janalise and I are going out."

Ponyboy was happy for a minute but had the same thought as everyone else. "What about everyone else, Johnny? This may cause a lot of problems."

"Ponyboy, I've been thinking..." began Joseppi. "Maybe if Johnny and Janalise went out, things would change between us."

Ponyboy hoped for things to work out too but he wasn't sure. "I don't know, Joseppi. Dally tried that, it didn't end so well. It started that huge rumble months ago. Dally nearly went to jail again."

Janalise felt guilty. "Ever since I moved here, it's been nothing but tension. I mean, it's all my fault."

"No, Janalise. It's our differences." Joseppi replied. "We're just not used to having someone be on both sides. That's the problem. We never thought this time was going to come."

"To put aside our differences?" asked Ponyboy. "I've actually wanted to see that for awhile. I just never said anything."

I realized what was going to happen. Janalise was the change. It was getting down to where Socs and Greasers had to put aside differences and make peace. There was no one could just lone it and hope for the best. It would take more than just one person.

Ponyboy and I talked about it all the time. We talked about change. That one day, we would all wake up and make peace. Greasers would be friends with Socs, and Socs finally friends with Greasers. We almost gave up on that seeing how both sides were. Janalise gave us more to look at, more to work with. She made us rethink the morals we tried to bury.

"So, it's a good thing that I did?" asked Janalise.

Joseppi nodded. "Yeah, but it won't be easy to do. We've solved our problems for years with rumbles. Being against each other was easier than working things out. Ever since Jonas went to the cooler, it just made things worse for both sides. The Soc who committed the crime never went to jail and we've been trying to bail him out since."

Ponyboy sat on the porch. "What differences is there? It's just poor and rich. Since when did status make trouble?

Joseppi shrugged. "I don't know, Ponyboy. It's been this way for years."

Dally came by as he sat down with us. "Hey, do any of you guys know about the bull session tomorrow evening?

"Bull session?" Janalise asked. "What's that?"

"It's when young people get together and talk." Ponyboy replied. "Who's involved?"

"Socs." Dally didn't seem to happy about it. "Both sides have to show up."

Joseppi sighed. "We might as well go tomorrow. All of us."

"Darry and Sodapop can't make it tomorrow." Ponyboy replied. "They're both working late."

"We'll fill them in." Joseppi replied. "I think it's important because this could end all of this."

Janalise gripped my arm. "I'm scared, Johnny. Whati if this doesn't work?"

"All we can do is try. Right, Ponyboy?" I replied.

Ponyboy nodded and so did everyone else except for Dally. Dally wanted to know exactly what was going on. Dally was my idol, I wasn't going to hide what was happening from him.

"Dally. The reason they called a bull session is because Janalise and I are dating." I replied. "Janalise wants to be with me."

Dally looked at me. "Johnny, you have the right to be happy. I'm just telling you right now, it's going to come at a price."

"So, we shouldn't go out with each other?" Janalise broke from me and got up to face everyone. "How can you all live this way? I want Johnny! Johnny understands every pain, every feeling, and is nice to me! Why does it matter if I'm a Soc? I'm more of a Greaser than a stupid Soc!"

"Janalise..." I went after her. "Wait, they don't mean it that way."

"Never mind, Johnny. I'm going home." Janalise continued walking.

"Do you still like me?" I asked worrying that I was losing her. "It's ok if you don't."

Janalise turned around. "I love you, Johnny Cade."

Everyone went white. Even I went totally white. I never heard anyone say that to me before. Forget my parents, they don't but Janalise does. I stopped for almost a minute, I couldn't believe a broad liked me. A beautiful girl like Janalise fell for me. It was almost like there was no hell on Earth, it was that good.

"Oh, Johnny. You know what that word means, don't you?" Dally came over to me. "That means her heart is to you. You've really got protect that broad through the worse and through the good."

"I can't rumble anymore." I replied. "I promised Janalise I would stop. She doesn't want something happening to me."

Dally sat down. "I don't blame him for making that promise. Johnny was always fearing one of us wouldn't come back."

"It's that and fighting is pointless." I replied. "What are we getting out of it?"

"The Soc should've never lifted from the Greaser. The Greaser shouldn't have gone back and lifted from the Soc." Ponyboy explained. "That's how it all started. At least, that's what we were all told. Fighting just doesn't solve anything, if it did...we would've saw the ending by now."

"They're both right." Joseppi replied. "I pawned off my mama's favorite china today just because I was short on payment.

It was starting to really be real. We were starting to realize how wrong this all was. I didn't like to fight, Joseppi was tired of fighting, Ponyboy didn't like to fight, and that left Dally not sure of where he stood. A lot of Greasers would feel the way Dally would, they were so used to this lifestyle.

"Then we're all going to the bull session tomorrow?" asked Ponyboy. "I think it would do us all some good."

Everyone agreed but Dally. "Why should we do that? Jonas is still in the cooler and we can't bail him out because a Soc lied! How can this be fixed?"

"Dally, give it a chance. This may be the only way we have to fix this feud." I replied. "The Soc may come forward and turn himself in."

Dally lightened up a little. "Ok. Let's do it."


End file.
